Moving On
by PadawanMage
Summary: Sarah Jane Smith comes to terms with the Doctor having left her years ago and is presented with a startling proposition from a surprising source. Set during and after 'School Reunion.'


**Title:** Moving On

**Spoilers:** Up to and including 'School Reunion.'

**Summary:** Sarah Jane Smith comes to terms with the Doctor having left her years ago and is presented with a startling proposition from a surprising source.

**Author's Notes:** I really enjoyed 'School Reunion,' especially since it dealt with the character of Sarah Jane Smith, the companion of the fourth Doctor (one of my top three favorites). What I didn't quite like was that Ten didn't give an answer to Sarah's question as to why he never came back for her. I try and flesh out that scene. Also, my ending might be wishful thinking, but I thought it'd be nice to see Sarah doing something once the Doctor left, yet again.

This hasn't been beta'd, so please be gentle.

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"You _were_ my life."

Sarah Jane Smith sat there gazing at the achingly young face of the Doctor sitting before her. Even after all these years, regeneration still was something she'd never gotten used to – she'd only witnessed it once herself, after all. To see the Doctor in, not his fifth, sixth or even seventh, but his _tenth_ regeneration was a heartbreaking surprise. So much time must have passed since then.

So much _did_ pass for her since the time when that same blue police box left her in, of all places, Aberdeen. For years, she'd waited and hoped to see a tall, jaunty fellow with a ridiculously long scarf come back into her life and whisk her away from good old boring Earth. But, as time passed and no one showed, she'd had to come to the conclusion that something had happened to the person with whom she'd shared so many adventures.

All the hopes, all the feelings that she'd invested in the time she'd spent with the Doctor just couldn't be switched off overnight. Oh, she'd tried to move on, but every man that looked like he might be a possibility just fell impossibly short when she'd compared him to the Doctor. The comparisons didn't stop there. Going from seeing the wonders and terrors of the universe, to suddenly working at a nine to five job had proved almost too much. The one good thing about her travels was that it gave her a better nose to investigate weirdness that had cropped up here and there and expose it in any way she could.

So, imagine her surprise when, in the process of investigating a school she sees the TARDIS just sitting there, deep in its bowels. Suddenly, all the feelings she'd kept locked up deep inside just came flooding out like a burst dam. Now, sitting with the Doctor in this cafe while he worked on yet another erstwhile companion, Sarah asked the one question she'd wanted to ask for years:

"Why? Why didn't you come back?"

The Doctor looked guiltily away. Sarah didn't mean to lace the question with so much bitter scorn, but the wounds had reopened when he showed up again.

"Sarah," the Doctor said quietly, "you probably know you weren't the first person to join in my travels and you weren't the last." He chewed on his lip. "Do you know how many companions I've lost? How many were killed or taken from me because I couldn't do anything about it?" The Doctor swallowed. "This is probably a selfish answer to your question, but…I knew you'd be safer on plain 'ole Earth, circa 1980, than if you came along with me."

Sarah's hand came out and cupped the Doctor's. "That was _my_ decision to make, don't you think?"

"Maybe," the Doctor said with a nod. "Or maybe I knew you'd have a better chance at living a long life here than you would have with me." He placed his other hand on top of hers. "You humans have such short life spans, Sarah. A flash in the pan and that's it. I'm over 900 years old and have cheated death ten times. I can still remember the deaths of every friend of mine or acquaintance I've had with such clarity." He squeezed her hand tightly. "We had a lot of good times together, and I didn't want my last memory of you to be that of your death."

Sarah stared deep into the Doctor's eyes. While outwardly looking so young, it was his eyes that showed such weariness, such grief. She could also see that they betrayed no falsehood to his explanation. Sarah sighed and then chuckled sadly.

"Well, I guess that's the best explanation I can get, isn't it?"

The Doctor leaned closer. "Sarah…please believe me, I never meant to hurt you, only look out for your well-being." He then blinked and frowned, looking like he'd just bitten off something horrid. "And I can't believe I just said something like a second-rate soap opera star." He looked back at Sarah and grinned sheepishly.

Sarah's face cracked a little as a smile threatened to ruin her bad mood. She tried to cover her mouth, but a quiet laugh came out. The Doctor's smile grew wider.

"I knew there was a reason we'd stayed together for all that time." He grew a little wistful and said, "I told this to an idiot once who thought he was good enough to tag along with Rose and I: Only the best can travel with me. That holds true now and it certainly held true back then."

Sarah's face reddened and she had to look away. That had to be the best compliment she'd ever gotten in a long time. Before she could say anything, K-9 came to life whirring and beeping. The Doctor stood up and whooped for joy, as one would react from having found a lost friend after so many years.

Sarah couldn't help but be swept along in the enthusiasm of the moment. She gazed one more time at the man who was – and wasn't – her Doctor. Take away the scarf, manic grin and unruly mop of brown curly hair from the person she'd once known and she could see this was still the man she cared about. They were about to fight yet another menace to Earth…and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Just like old times.

**Epilogue**

**Several Hours Later... **

Sarah gazed back one last time at the place where the TARDIS once stood, just before it dematerialized. Had she been younger, she would have taken the Doctor's offer in a second. She might've taught Rose a thing of two. As it was…

She patted the newly-refurbished K-9, who waited patiently at her side. Before she turned back, however, a voice called out from behind.

"He always does that, doesn't he?"

Sarah whipped around to see a man leaning on a tree, his confident mien overmatched only by his roguish smile.

"Hello, do I know you?" Sarah asked in confusion.

The man came over and said, "Not really, but we both seem to know the Doctor pretty well."

"The Doctor?" Sarah repeated, her wariness jumping a notch. She glanced down at K-9 and found him tracking the stranger.

"Yeah, you know: tall guy, shaved head, leather jacket, has a Northern accent? Also has a habit of leaving companions all over time and space?"

Sarah blinked. "That's…not the Doctor I saw."

The stranger pursed his lips and then shrugged. "Hmm, maybe he regenerated again. Anyway, he's not the reason I'm here. I'm here for you, Sarah Jane Smith."

"And you are…?"

"Jack," the man said, thrusting out his hand. "Jack Harkness."

Sarah took the hand and shook it. "What would you want with me?" she inquired.

"Well, I'm part of a team that basically does on Earth what the Doctor does all over the universe: Investigating UFO's, supernatural phenomena, unexplained sightings, threats to humanity and Earth, that sort of thing. Wherever it happens, we're there." He produced an identification card and handed it over

Sarah frowned. " 'The Torchwood Institute,' " she said and handed it back. "I'm sorry, but that still doesn't explain what this has to do with me."

"As one of the companions of the Doctor who's been with him the longest, you have an insight and perspective we could use. Hell, you could probably identify and help deal with half the things we're seeing at a fraction of the time we'd take in research." Seeing indecision on Sarah's face he said, "You'd be compensated, so no worries there. You'd also help save the world and lastly" – he winked – "you might even work with me."

Sarah couldn't help smiling in spite of herself at the man's charm. She had to check herself since she started to be taken in with this rather handsome man. "I don't know…"

Jack jerked a thumb at K-9. "You can even take along the tin-plated Toto with you, too, if you want." The robot's tail and antenna ears wagged in irritation. Jack offered his elbow. "C'mon, Sarah, make that time spent with the Doctor mean something."

Sarah looked torn. She'd just brought some closure with the Doctor, even going so far as to turn down his invitation. She wasn't as young as she once was when she first got involved with strange phenomenon. When she glanced down at K-9, she was surprised to see him give a very tiny nod. If she was good enough to help the Doctor when he was here on Earth, why couldn't she do so again with this man?

Sarah smiled and then, turning to Jack, linked her arm with his.

"Good!" Jack said and started to lead her away. "I just know we're going to work great together," he said, tilting his head back and looking her up and down.

"I always had a thing for brunettes."

**-FIN-**


End file.
